A Simple 'Mistake'
by TheDragonDemon
Summary: Ryuk watched the Death Note spiral into the human world in satisfaction. The people of that realm never failed to amuse him, but he wasn't expecting this. Hoshiko, a girl brought up on the streets, stumbles across the Note. Justice WILL prevail. No 'L' is going to stop her. . .
1. Chapter 1

'The Human race is sickening,' I thought.

Smirking at how true the statement was, I grasped the polystyrene cup between my gloved fingers, attempting to retain the heat radiating off of it. My thin, murky green rain coat cloaked my shivering form as I sat on the park bench. The wood had been defiled by vandals, practically all of it's surface area had been spray-painted with crude messages or engraved using a blunt object. A gaggle of ditzy-looking girls with extremely long hair stood in a circle by the bike sheds that had also been desecrated. They all giggled and tore their gazes from the various mobile phones they held to scrutinize my outfit. The group then sniggered at my miserable appearance.

"Look at how greasy her hair is. When did she last have a bath?"

This earned another round of titters. I held the cup of coffee to my lips, taking a swallow and regretted it instantly. The brown substance was a bitter, lukewarm liquid that definately contained the man's spit due to it's thick texture. I started to cough and gag, attracting the attention of almost everyone within a seven metre radius. After tossing the disgusting cup into the bin next to me, I stood up and stretched out. I wrinkled my nose at the smell of urine that wafted over from the abandoned building that many people use as a toilet. The sky was dark, the familiar sound of rain starting to fill my ears. The teenage girls soon shrieked and ran to shelter. I on the other hand just kept walking. The light rain soon turned into a downpour and, despite my water-proof clothing, I was soaked. This was a natural occurrence. The alleyway that I was walking down reeked of alcohol, piss and the content of someone's stomach. A building's door swung open, revealing a man and woman attempting to eat each other's face off. They advanced into the middle of the passage, blocking my way. I coughed slightly and broke the passionate kiss apart. The woman turned to me and glared as I trudged past. The open door of the premises unveiled the ruckus that was going on inside. Lights flashed as numerous semi-clad females swung on poles, dancing to a heavy beat as men threw money at them, gambled and drunk from frosted beer-bottles. I pulled my hood up and sighed.

The Human race truly is disgusting . . .

I reached the apartment that I shared with my mother and unlocked the door. I shrugged off my jacket and hung it on one of the tacky plastic chairs.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

There was a loud thud in the kitchen followed by a cry of pain. My eyes widened a fraction as I walked in. A red haired woman lay on the floor, a pool of blood around her torso.

"Mum!"

I ran her side and picked up her limp body. A smile broke out on her beautiful face. I stared helplessly at her, my own face turning a deathly white.

"Who did this to you?" I whispered. "I'm going to kill them!"

"Hosh...Hoshiko. Don't worry. I'm...fine."

She stared up at me lovingly and patted my face. My mother's warm, hazel eyes searched my plain green ones and she beamed yet again. That's what tore my heart apart. The woman was dying, yet she still kept a smile on her face.

"You know... I never p-planned on having y-you... When I found out... I cried for a week! N-Not because I w-was sad, but because, because I was bringing a beautiful little g-girl into the world..."

A tear fell onto my mother's cheek.

"It was the b-best...surprise anyone c-could give me... Don't cry. N-No one is w-worth your t-tears..."

She closed her eyes and died in my arms. When the only person that loved me died, part of me went with her to heaven. I was interrupted by a rough voice behind me.

"That bitch didn't do what I wanted. To stay alive, I guess that you should do what I say."

The man was leaning against the old kitchen worktops playing with a blood-stained knife. He smirked menacingly at me and took a step forward. The air that he breathed out stank of alcohol and the smell only got stronger as he advanced towards me. I inched closer to the kitchen draw, where we kept the knives, and when I was right up against it I yanked the cupboard open and pulled one of the weapons out.

"Don't be a fool, girl! Just give up. You never know, I could find a use for you."

The man licked his lips and eyed my body.

"HOSHIKO!"

I spun round to face Jun, the landlord barging through the door. The pudgy, grey-haired man only came to a halt when he saw my mother's cold, dead body.

"GET OUT!" he cried.


	2. Chapter 2

I stumbled blindly out of the kitchen and clasped my coat again. The Bible sat smugly on the shelf, my keys on top of that. I grabbed both objects and stuffed them in the rucksack by the door that my mother uses.

Used.

Past tense.

The fact hit me like a ton of bricks. The tears that spilled out of my eyes left clean tracks on my grubby face. It had somehow gotten even colder, the Sun's rays had now gone completely and almost all the lamp-posts were lit, save for the three that hadn't been working since I had moved here. Another wave of sobs racked my body. I had stayed in that tiny two roomed flat for five of the seventeen miserable years of my life. Jun had found me searching through the bins behind the building and had taken my mum and I in. His daughter taught me spelling, reading, maths and many other subjects - giving me an education that anyone would be grateful for. They all said I was a genius, that I would make it in life. At this point, my mother would always smile sadly, always feel guilty because of the life she had given me.

I stopped under a light and fished around in my bag. The book that I had taken from my house found it's way into my hands and, as I flicked through the pages, I found a collection of paper notes. I counted the bundle three times before coming to the conclusion that I only had 14,000 yen (£100). My stomach twisted uncomfortably. How was I supposed to live on this? My legs started to move on their own and I found myself sitting on the same park bench. The minutes I was there soon turned into hours and eventually sleep claimed me.

I woke up with a start. It hadn't been a dream, some horrible fantasy that my mind had created. My mother was dead. Jun could possibly be dead. The small, grey-black backpack that I had used as a pillow was slung around my shoulder. I was extremely lucky. I knew too well about the people that came here at the early hours of the morning. The Sun's light broke through the clouds, illuminated the frozen puddles and frosted grass.

_Rustle_

What was that? I looked at where my foot landed and found a black book. On closer inspection, I saw the label:

DEATH NOTE

The wind blew the pages open, when a phrase caught my eye.

The human whose name is written in this note shall die.

I blinked. A Death Note? What a stupid prank. I shook my head and stuffed it in my bag that now contained all of my possessions. My entire life was now in a bag. I was interrupted by a hollow, gurgling sound. My stomach. The money that I had saved for this sort of occasion was definately going to come in handy. I knew of a 24hour corner shop around here. I walked quickly, to stop anyone seeing me. God knows the amount of trouble I'd be in, from the Police or the druggies around here. I reached the convenience store without any problem and I gazed at the rows upon rows of confectionary. That's when I remembered something from a long time ago...

(A/N- Going to change L's age slightly so he's around 22 when he dies)

_"Hey Mum! Can I get one of those? I've never tried one! Do you think we have enough money? "I begged, tugging my mother's sleeve. I pointed to the group of children scoffing down packets of sweets. She didn't hear me and as she kept walking, I stopped. They babbled on about all kinds of things and I stared, mesmerized, until one boy looked up at me. He wasn't actually in the group, in fact, he was standing almost three metres away. The boy scratched his head and his messy black hair became even more disheveled. His eyes searched mine, black orbs glaring into my own dull green ones and, by his height, he was about three or four years older than me . Suddenly, he tossed me something. I caught it, to find a small bag of sweets. I beamed at him and waved slightly. The mystery boy didn't return it._

_"Hoshiko! Come on!"_

_"Mummy! Look at what that boy gave me!"_

_"Darling, what have I told you about talking to strangers, let alone taking things from them." She snatched the goodies out of my hand and threw them into a bin. I wanted to protest, but of course _**_she _**_would be cautious. I laughed and gave the boy one last glance before running up to the library windows, my face pressed against the glass._

_"Do you think I can get a book out? I'm sure they've forgotten my face. I can just steal another one!"_

Three months later, I had my seventh birthday. That was when I realised that I could never be like a normal child. My mother and I would travel around the cities, finding somewhere to stay each night. Every time I might of made a friend, they were taken away from me. Eventually I grew cold and reserved, distancing myself from anything and everything.

I shook my head and picked up a packet of Whole Wheat Crackers and two bottles of water. There was no need for pointless luxuries in this world. It was definately a waste of money. The man at the till scanned the items and placed them in a plastic bag, handing them to me. I walked away slowly when someone - something - blocked out the light. The figure's wings spread out, knocking merchandise onto the floor. I yelped in alarm when the cashier looked over.

"What the hell do you-"

The monster in front of me unfurled his wings even further which made even more products tumble onto the ground. Both the staff and customers ran out of the shop, leaving me alone with the creature.

"Well that was fun!"

The disgusting mix of bird and man stared down at me and grimaced. It's revolting, oily black wings somehow slithered back into his (I'm guessing it's male) back. A few more goods hit the concreted floor as it/he leered towards me.

"So, you're the human that picked up my Death Note? You don't look like much!" he cackled. "In fact, I don't think you've even written any names into my notebook!"

I stuttered on my words, "T-T-That note i-is yours? W-what are y-y-you?"

"I'm a Shinigami. My name's Ryuk and yes, that's my notebook that you took."

A feeling of dread washed over me, like a tsunami.

"D-do you want it back?"

"Stupid humans! You can't just give a Death Note back. You either have to die or it has to be destroyed."

"T-Then I'll burn i-"

"If you do that, I'll kill you with my other journal. That notebook is my ticket out of the Shinigami Realm. No _human _is going to spoil my. . .fun."

I blinked. This was all a game to him, giving me the power to kill? Wait, I'm actually believing this story? For all I know, I could still be asleep on that park bench and this is all a fantasy! Yeah, that could be the only reasonable explanation.

"Are you going to give it a try?" Ryuk asked.

I chuckled and began to get to my feet. My legs were still like jelly but that didn't stop me.

"Why would I try it? You're just a fragment of my imagination!"


	3. Chapter 3

Ryuk cackled again and leaned towards me, his hideously twisted face just inches away from my own. I tried not to gag as the foul stench of his breath smothered me. My hand crept to the back pocket of my baggy jeans. _Damn! The gun's still at the house!_ The Death God's eyes started to glow a deep crimson, the world around me starting to distort and warp. Eventually the spiraling scenery came to a halt. Ryuk grunted and gestured to the inky depths surrounding us. (A/N:Oh God, it's genjutsu!)

"Do you believe me now?"

My eyes widened as my stomach finally caught up to me. The acid burnt up, but I somehow managed to swallow it back. The darkness swirled around me, it's tendrils engulfing me until a bright light shone around me.

"Oh! What's this?"

The monster gestured for the incandescent stone to come closer. It followed his command, dragging me along as well.

"Well, well well! It seems that Enma was busy! How...interesting."

The luminous pebble seemed to glow even brighter, lighting up the chain around it and my neck. This piece of jewelry was _magic_? My old necklace, a smooth, black jewel was a brilliant electric blue. What was it?

"Wha...what?"

"I never thought _you'd_ pick up my Death Note after everything Enma did to save you! I wonder what he would say. This necklace of yours, it hold's a Shinigami's soul!" Ryuk's grin stretched across his face, "I never thought I'd see one. In fact, I never thought we Gods had one!"

The thoughts crowded my head and everything around me spun. I choked a little as my puke left my mouth.

"Now that's just nasty!"

Ignoring the disgusting puddle of spew on the floor, as well as the irritating bird-man's chatter, I picked up my bag. The grubby little shop seemed to comfort me somewhat as I walked quickly to the door.

"Where are you going? Hey! Listen to me!"

My head turned to a slight angle.

"I know for a fact that that store doesn't have any CCTV. If anyone saw you, the authorities would think that the person was mad. I'll just act like nothing happened. It would be best if you flew above me or something. I can't risk a commotion if I'm trying to keep a low profile."

"Wha- Oh yeah. I wouldn't worry about that, kid. No-one can see or hear me apart from you. Unless they touch the Notebook."

I nodded once to show that I had heard him, but kept marching into the populated city in front of me.

"Where are you going? You can't go home, and you don't have any money."

"Don't worry. I know what I'm about to do. . ."

* * *

"Hello sir! I've been sent by your landlord to check all the plumbing. See there's been a little 'accident' on one of the lower floors and I need to evaluate the system to see if it's going to happen again, which will take some time but it's better safe than sorry!" I panted a little for breath and beamed at the balding, middle-aged male in front of me. He was _perfect_.

"Fine. Make it quick. I have business to attend to."

"Of course, sir."

The man opened his apartment door and lead me through the expensive lounge to his equally spacious kitchen. I bowed slightly as he left and sighed. It was almost too easy to fool people nowadays. The reflection of me in the metallic surfaces showed a teenage _boy_ dressed in a simple polo shirt and black shorts. The only clothes that were the same were my underwear and filthy shoes but the resident didn't even bother to check me.

"Ah, I know what you're going to do!" sneered the Shinigami.

I bent down to the cupboard under the sink and inspected the pipes, making the occasional 'Hmn' or 'Ah ha!' Eventually the male left, before whimpers came from the room he was in. I quickly checked some documents on the fridge and gathered facts about the inhabitant. From the few minutes I had known _Kazuki Suziko_, I had deduced that he was a incredibly wealthy man with a wheelchair-bound wife but no children. It was also extremely obvious that he was having an affair with a younger woman. People like this disgusted me and fuelled my passion to kill him.

"This better work. . ." I muttered to myself as I scribbled Suziko's name down. To my surprise, the bedroom door opened and the very unkempt looking businessman stepped out.

I watched Kazuki Suziko slowly get up from the couch and start to walk towards the door. Smirking inwardly, I called out.

"Sir, where are you going?"

Suzuki didn't turn around when he answered.

"I have business to attend to."

I could almost laugh with joy as I watched the middle-aged man walk slowly to his death. The wooden door shut with a bang and Ryuk's smile grew even larger.

"What did you write in the Death Note?"

I ignored the monster, when the man's door swung open again.

"Kookie? Where are you going? Don't leave me! I'm sorry if I did something wrong! Kook- Who are you?"

The platinum blonde glared at me and then, after a sudden change of heart, flashed her pearly white teeth at me.

"What's a cutie like you doing here? Oh, you must be fixing the plumbing! I'd do that myself but, I can't!"

The woman squealed like a pig and I winced at the noise. Her intense laughter faded as she wobbled after her 'Kookie'. I then faced Ryuk again and smiled.

"He's going to get hit by a car in two minutes. He'll be hospitalised for five days and then die when his brain shuts down. Of course people will question who I am, so I'll play the grieving niece that now resides in his apartment. I'll stay here and if people ask questions I'll s-start t-t-to stut-t-ter and c-cry. No one will want to pressure me into answering questions about my _Uncle_."

A scream interrupted my little speech. The apartment was officially mine.


	4. Chapter 4

My head rested in between my hands and I sighed for effect. The sheet of paper sat in front of me, the digits and letters flashing before my eyes. Ryuk's shadow blocked out the light from the desk-lamp which didn't help me at all.

"What are you doing? You've had that Note for three days now and you haven't written anyone's name!" whined the beast. I looked up at him, eyes flashing.

"Are you trying to get me caught? Of course I wont kill yet! I'll need to start school soon or my new neighbors will get suspicious. If I begin to murder now, and then start college, the police will make a link between the death pattern. The'll research all new students."

"So when are you starting high-school?" asked the Shinigami eagerly, whilst spraying me with apple.

"Tomorrow. I'll start to write names then. I'm going to sleep now, wake me up around six." I stood up at my full height and bowed slightly to Ryuk.

"Goodnight. I'll see you in the morning."

Before I left, I heard him mutter, "I'm not an alarm clock!"

The fluffy white bed groaned in despair as Ryuk bounced onto it. I opened one cold, dead green eye and sat up. His distorted face showed another twisted emotion I couldn't read. Was it anticipation? Oh yeah, today was the day I started school and,of course, my first day killing. For a moment, I was reminded of my mother waking me up.

_'It's time to move, Hoshiko. . .' _

_"_Time to get up, girl! You've got an exciting day of killing, murdering and learning! Get up!"

I threw the covers back and pushed the bird/man hybrid out of the room. After around four minutes of getting ready, I stared at the mirror in shock. The greasy-haired, grubby brunette was no more. After just 72 hours, I had received more sleep than in all my life. My face had started to look nourished from the generous amount of food stored in the ex-resident's fridge and the freshly ironed uniform cloaked my insubstantial frame, making me look relatively healthy. Pleased with my appearance, I walked out of the door.

A crowd of school children ran past me, laughing and shouting, somehow making me feel secluded. As I approached the red brick building, the feeling of dread grew. Eventually, I found myself standing at the front of a class of bored looking people glaring at me. How should I play this one out? Do I stick with my personality? No, far too risky.

"Hi there! My name's Youko Yamanichi!" I giggled whilst twirling my hair in-between my fingers. I flattened out my skirt and grinned at the people in front of me. The searching eyes scanned of girls and boys alike scanned over me as I was directed to a seat.

"And our trip to the Great Naruto Bridge is three weeks aw-"

The classroom door flung open a second time, but now a battered looking boy appeared. He had a large bruise beneath his eye and the top lip had been cut. Immediately, the pupils started to whisper.

"Did you hear Light Yagami got beat up?"

"No way!"

"Apparently, he stopped a woman from getting raped!"

"Yeah! And the police doubled the guy's sentence because his dad is the Deputy Director!"

"Light's a hero!"

"Isn't he amazing! I just want to-"

"Hey, Light's mine!"

My eyebrows raised. This Light Yagami, not only was he a good person, but his father was high up in the police force. How interesting. . .

* * *

Hey! So people have asked me if this is an L or BB story. It's actually both :) I have this idea in my head but I can't be bothered to write it down. . . zzzzzzzzzzzzz


	5. Chapter 5

The unappetising canteen slop splattered down onto my smeary plate as it oozed a revolting milky liquid. I picked up my equally grimy fork and pushed the meal around.

"So Hoshiko, how are you finding school here?"

My head snapped up. Standing opposite me was Light Yagami, the_ Golden Boy. _His bronze hair fell into his eyes as he offered me a tight-lipped smile. Almost instantly the entire room fell silent. The Golden Boy doesn't talk to people, people talk to him. I couldn't help smirking slightly, hiding it behind my hand as if in shock. He pulled out a chair, sat down and stared at the food I was playing with.

"Fine thanks! I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone. I've been here for a week but I've spent most of my time being shown around school."

I'm really looking forward to meeting you, Light Yagami.

"Why did you join so late in the year? We're going to graduate soon."

I giggled slightly and shoved a spoonful of gloopy mush into my mouth. It wasn't exactly pleasant, but it was a meal, one that I was grateful for.

"I need all the help I can get. I'm not exactly the sharpest tool in the box."

There was another pause in the conversation as Light looked intensely at me. After the first ten seconds I started to fidget and pick at the nail varnish on my hands - courtesy of the dead man's ex girlfriend. It was my favourite colour, a dark red.

"I highly doubt that."

My blood froze. What the hell was I doing? I shouldn't been talking to Deputy Director's son, who just so happens to have the highest test scores in all of Japan. Shit.

"But, if you feel like you need more help, I'd be happy to help you. You can even come around my house tonight, if you'd like?"

I jerked my head up, green eyes meeting hazel. _He didn't suspect me! _I only needed to hack into his father's account and see if they've got anything or anyone on the case of unexplainable heart attacks.

"Of course!"

The muscles in my cheeks ached. I really needed to get the hang of this smiling thing if I was going to pass as an airhead. Light Yagami relaxed into his chair, stretching his arms with an almost satisfied grin. He turned his caramel head to examine the rest of the lunch room. Our spectators burst back into conversation and I spotted Ryuk at the very back of the noisy hall, laughing ever so slightly.

Light's POV (woop woop)

I smiled contently. Hoshiko was going to come around my house. I wouldn't usually go for such a whiney, childish, self centred girl, but there was something in her eyes that revealed some hidden emotion. Bitterness? Vengeance? Determination? There was also the fact that she got the highest entrance score, save for me. Something didn't add up about her. I needed to know more. I'm sure if I just broke down some walls, she would crumble.

When we finally got home, I was greeted by my sister and mother, both of which hugged Hoshiko. They also ranted about how skinny she was. I had never noticed it before, how her hips seemed unbelievably thin. She was prepared to eat cafeteria food, so why was the brunette so freakishly twiggy? Eventually we managed to escape up to my room.

Hoshiko's POV

"Your sister's nice."

That was true at least. Sayu reminded me somewhat of my mother. Both of their personalities were fun loving and kind. Sayu didn't want her father to be hurt, Mother didn't want me to own a gun. It's the same protective instinct.

"She can be a real pain at times!" laughed Light. I chuckled slightly before gasping at his bookshelf. Rows upon rows of novels. Original English versions of _Dracula_ and_ Sherlock Holmes _along with plenty of horror andcrime novels. It was amazing, like his own library.

"You like to read?"

I nodded slowly, thinking of a reply.

"I've always been a passionate reader, I just never had the . . . facilities or time."

My eyes landed on the sleek flatscreen computer that seemed tiny compared to the hundreds at the apartment. This would contain everything about me. About Kira.


End file.
